


to walk this world with you

by strawberriez8800 (orphan_account)



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Canon Compliant, M/M, Romance, Snippets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-04
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:28:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23476981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/strawberriez8800
Summary: There's a first time for all things in life and love. Sometimes, it's good; sometimes, it's bad, but one thing is for certain: there is nowhere else they would rather be.A series of relationship milestones for Thomas and Richard.
Relationships: Thomas Barrow/Richard Ellis
Comments: 19
Kudos: 85





	1. the first time i write you

**Author's Note:**

> This will be a series of independent chapters, detailing their relationship firsts in sort-of vignettes by chronological order. Some chapters will be longer than others, depending on what setup is needed. I have a long list of possibilities to write, but if you have any suggestions at all, feel free to post a note!
> 
> This will be marked as complete because each chapter is relatively independent. I will add an entry whenever I get inspiration.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thomas writes his first letter to Richard.

When the last of the Royal Staff had departed from Downton Abbey, it felt to Thomas like slowly waking up from an ever pleasant dream.

What was even more pleasant was that Richard bloody Ellis was _the_ furthest thing from a dream; indeed, he was terrifically real - especially so when he’d saved Thomas from an ugly situation before it turned uglier, when he’d put his finger to Thomas’s mouth like he’d been waiting for an excuse to do this very thing, when he’d kissed him and Thomas had kissed him back with no hesitation because he’d be damned if he let this moment pass so easily.

It’d been so long since Thomas felt another man’s touch - especially one _this_ handsome and witty and completely _ridiculous -_ and when he finally did _,_ it had ended all too soon and it was not a little infuriating.

Returning to his pantry, Thomas closed the door behind him. The weight of Richard’s pendant in his pocket was shockingly palpable as his mind flitted to the minutes before their parting.

 _I want you to have this; it’s not much, but I’ve had it for years. It’ll remind you of me,_ Richard had said, as if giving Thomas a pendant he’d had for years was _not much_ , as if Thomas would need _any_ help in remembering him at all because the day he forgot Richard would be the day the sun rose from the fucking _west_.

* * *

Thomas lasted exactly twelve and a half hours before he relented to his _need_ to put his pen on paper for Richard.

He would be the first to admit it was almost pathetic, to be so stupidly smitten by a man he’d known for _days,_ but it did seem ever asinine to deny himself such a thing when Richard had been all too willing to continue their correspondence; he’d given Thomas a token and kissed him in his pantry in broad daylight _,_ for God’s sake. Certainly the time for reticence was long gone as far as Thomas was concerned.

So, exactly twelve and a half hours after Richard had kissed Thomas goodbye, Thomas wrote his first letter to him and he was not the least bit embarrassed.


	2. taking you out (again)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thomas and Richard have their first date.

It was three months after the Royal Visit at Downton.

It was also going to be Thomas’s first time seeing Richard since. Thomas had almost forgotten how it was like, properly going out with another man, with how long it’d been.

He wondered if Richard would suspect as such, that Thomas was, for lack of a better word, _rusty_ in this regard - regaling a _friend_ who he wanted badly to be _more_ than one; he hoped not, though with Richard’s track record thus far in seeing through Thomas so easily even when they’d only known each other more so through letters than in person, Thomas wouldn’t be too surprised if Richard did.

What did surprise him was realising that he didn’t mind, not really.

If he were to have someone read him like an open book, well, he supposed Richard Ellis would be his first choice.

Thomas would never say _that_ aloud, of course.

“Fancy seeing you here, Mr Barrow,” Richard said as he sidled up beside Thomas at that very same pub in York, because, honestly, where else would they meet, if not here, to rectify what ought to have been their first date, three months ago?

First _date._ The word boggled his mind.

“Good of you to show up this time, Mr Ellis.”

There was that smile again, from Richard; the last thing Thomas wanted to do was look away from something so endearing, then he remembered he was a man of thirty-six, not thirteen.

“I’d hate to disappoint twice,” Richard said with an ease Thomas could only hope to feel.

(No such luck, really, with the way his heart was going.)

They made small talk, as _friends_ would do, and they ordered drinks. What kind, Thomas couldn’t bring himself to care, or even pay attention, not with the way Richard was looking at him, like Thomas was anything _but_ a friend, yet it wasn’t salacious; such a manner didn’t seem to suit Richard…

No, Richard was studying Thomas with something more akin to curiosity, and there was nothing Thomas wanted more, in that moment, to _satiate_ that curiosity.

He ought to keep a rein on himself if he wanted to last the night, at this rate.

(Thomas realised, belatedly, the double entendre of such thoughts and for God’s sake he was too bloody _old_ to be blushing like this.)

“Do you do this a lot?” Thomas asked, and he wanted to slap himself for such a _stupid_ question. Still, he _really_ did want to know...

“Might do you well to be more specific, Mr Barrow.”

“ _This,_ ” Thomas said, waving a hand, as though _that_ would clarify anything. “Taking men out.”

“Only ones I like the way of,” Richard said, smiling. “There’s something you ought to know, Mr Barrow; I’m awfully picky.”

What would Thomas even say to _that_? Served him right for raising the subject in the first place.

“Ah, is that so.” God help him.

If Richard could stop saying ridiculous things like that, then perhaps Thomas could actually function like a normal human being in his presence, though he wouldn’t be opposed to hearing more of such ridiculous things.

In more ways than one, for the rest of that evening, Richard did _not_ disappoint.


	3. your hands on me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thomas and Richard share a kiss - and a little bit more.

It wasn’t often that _both_ Thomas and Richard were lost for words at the same time.

Yet, as they stood before Downton Abbey - Richard had insisted on driving Thomas back from their rendezvous in York despite Thomas’s half-hearted protests - they were, indeed, at a loss for words.

It was well past dusk; the moonbeam was shy behind the clouds on this October night and all was silent around them and, really, it was nothing short of incredible.

But it wouldbe _nicer_ if Thomas could see Richard’s face properly; it was so bloody _dark_.

He’d take what he could get, he supposed.

“That went rather quick, didn’t it?” Thomas said, finally, unable to stifle a quiet, nervous laugh as he did so.

“I only see it as a testament to your company, Mr Barrow,” Richard said.

Although Thomas couldn’t quite make out the smile on Richard’s face, he could hear it in his voice and that was more than enough.

“You’re not so bad yourself," said Thomas.

Even after the entire evening of dancing around each other with words, they still hadn’t had enough of it.

Thomas wondered if he’d ever have enough of it. Of Richard.

Likely not.

At least Richard was more than willing on this front.

This time, Thomas was the first to move in for the kiss. Richard’s mouth upon his felt just as wonderful as he remembered - _better,_ in fact, for there was no chance of any untimely interruptions tonight, not here, beside Richard’s car, and not at this hour.

So they took what they could; they kissed, slowly, as though they had all the time in their hands when reality was anything but the case. Richard’s breath was warm against Thomas’s skin and he shivered - from the cold, from the heat, from anything and everythingand it was all at once more _urgent_ when Richard pressed Thomas up against his car and buried his hand in Thomas’s hair.

Thomas had half a mind to slip Richard’s coat from his shoulders because he wanted - _needed -_ to touch him, to feel him under his hands and _fuck it_ he did just that and Richard’s coat was now on the ground and Thomas’s hand was under his shirt _in the fucking courtyard of Downton Abbey_ and it was the most scandalous thing he’d done since the Duke of Crowborough.

“This is not very smart,” Thomas whispered, voice rougher than he remembered it ever being.

“No, it isn’t,” Richard mumbled against Thomas’s skin, and despite his words he continued to kiss a path down Thomas’s throat.

“What happened to being circumspect, Mr Ellis?”

Richard let out a breathless chuckle, pulling away from Thomas a little to meet his eyes. “You’re unbelievable,” he said with a smile. “But you're also right.”

Sighing, Thomas removed himself from Richard’s arms - what a bloody _tragedy -_ and picked up Richard’s coat. “Here,” he said, tossing it to Richard. “Sorry for the mess.”

“Don’t be. It’s the only sort of mess I welcome.”

Thomas laughed, putting on his hat. “The things you say.”

Richard grinned. “Only to you.”

What a thing.


End file.
